It has long been a serious problem and an expensive process to collect, and dispose of, contaminated biological waste in a hospital or other health care facility, in a safe and sanitary manner. The general system which has been in use is to direct the biological waste into a disposal container at the location where it is being generated, seal this container in a manner to isolate the waste and transport each such container to a central collecting facility at the hospital, where it is possibly sterilized, after which these are then taken to a waste disposal site. The alternative is to dispose of the fluid by pouring it into sewer or toilets.
One common example of this is the collection of waste when a suctioning process is being conducted with the patient. The suctioning tube is positioned to withdraw fluid or viscous material from the patient's breathing airways and to carry this material into a container. The interior chamber of the container is connected to a vacuum source, and the material from the patient collects in the bottom of the container. Periodically, the container is disconnected from the suction tube and the vacuum source, sealed, and then taken to the collecting location in the hospital. Then another disposable container is connected to the suctioning tube and the vacuum source, with the above process being repeated. If the alternative to pour the contents out is chosen, splashing may/will endanger the person and contaminate the environment.
It has long been known in the health care field that if contaminated biological waste is delivered into a conventional sewer system, at such time as the biological waste becomes sufficiently diluted by the large volume of sewage in the system, it then becomes harmless. However, to the best knowledge of the applicants herein, in spite of the fact that this means of disposal has been known for some period of time, there has not been devised a method to make use of this in a safe and practical manner in a hospital or other health care facility.
Thus, the main method of disposing of such waste still remains to seal the collected waste in a disposable container at the location where it is generated, and then deliver this sealed and contained waste (still in a special container) to a distant disposal site for contaminated medical waste or openly pour it into common toilets or sewers. The expense associated with the first type of waste disposal system represents a substantial part of the costs for health care in hospitals and the like. And the second is a risk to both staff and patients.
A search of the patent literature has disclosed a number of patents, these being the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,744 (Meyer) discloses a system for withdrawing and disposing of dental waste. There is provided a plurality of mouth aspirators 10, and a suction is applied to a container 11 to draw the material into the container. The container is mounted to a support and drain assembly 12. There is a valve means 23 that is closed when the container is subjected to suction, and this is opened to permit the contents of the container 11 to flow into the assembly 12 and into a sewer. There is in the container 11 a liquid level sensor 26 that is connected to a relay 29 in the control panel 30 for the vacuum pump 13.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,438 (Vasconcellos et al) discloses a blood recovery system where there are "blood cardiotomy reservoirs" where blood is taken from the patient for subsequent reinfusion into the patient. There is a vacuum storage level with a blood aspiration port into which the blood is drawn by the vacuum. This accumulates in the upper chamber 20 which is valved to the chamber 22 by a valve 42. There is a valve 30 which is held closed at 32. Movement of a lever 34 opens the valve element 30 so that the blood drains into chamber 24 and can be drained out at 26.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,872 (Sherlock) discloses a blood collecting bag 16 that is provided with a drain element that is closed by a member 75. Means are provided to maintain the bag in an expanded position. The blood can be reinfused back to the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,001 (Abrahams et al) shows a "portable, self-cleansing apparatus for aspiration and removal of sinus fluids and/or tracheal secretions, etc." Tap water is directed from a faucet through a venturi which creates a suction in the container, so that the sinus fluid or other secretions are drawn into the tube 82 and into a container. The water and collected fluids accumulate in the bottom and are ejected through a lower outlet 18 that is positioned above a drain 20 of a sink 16.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,753 (Trace) shows a surgical drainage apparatus with a collection bag and a lower drain opening. In one embodiment (see FIGS. 6 and 7) a suction can be applied. The apparatus is arranged to prevent backward flow up the drainage tube when there is a negative pressure in the drainage tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,535,604 (Hendricks) shows a pan for washing dishes, and this pan is provided with a drainage valve, with a valve closure element operated by a lever system comprising members 21 and 24.